At the start of each term, you will receive an itemized account, which will be e-mailed home, for the term. This will include costs for trips and activities during the term for each of your children. Prompt payment of these is appreciated.

Our preferred form of payment (to ensure no lost monies) is by Direct Credit.

The school bank account is:

Rolleston School

ANZ Bank – Hornby

06-0851-0175773-01

We appreciate every family’s financial position is different, and for some families paying by regular automatic payment is proving popular.  If this option works for you please talk to us in the office to make arrangements that work for your family.

bursar@rolleston.school.nz

The school door is always open. Every problem can be solved while it is still small!

If you wish to discuss a matter just ring and arrange an appointment time which is suitable for everyone. If a class teacher is involved it would need to be out of school time – preferably after school when time can be taken to discuss things thoroughly. 

Hurried conversations in the half hour before school starts, when teachers are busy preparing for the day, are rarely helpful if there is an important issue to talk through. 

It is best to make an appointment time and say what it is you’d like to discuss so that staff can come prepared with any information which may be required to meet your needs.

If you have a concern and it is about your child’s learning or behavior, the first point of contact should be the class teacher. This is the person best placed to discuss this. 

If your concern remains after this meeting please talk with the Team Leader of that area of the school, who will assist in finding solutions.

If these avenues have been exhausted, the Deputy/Principal is happy to discuss your concerns further. The school listens carefully to concerns and complaints and responds to accommodate the needs of both parties.

Formal procedures are used by all people who have a concern or complaint that has not been able to be resolved informally. Copies of these procedures are included in our enrolment pack.

 

Te Ahi Kaikōmako Rolleston School is a Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) school. PB4L is a long term, school wide framework that is aimed at enhancing our school climate by explicitly teaching and acknowledging positive behaviours.

As well as this, it focuses on ensuring that expectations are consistently clear and that undesirable behaviours are responded to in a fair and equitable way.

We also implement the KIVA Anti-Bullying Programme across the school. KiVa is an anti-bullying programme that teaches children about different types of bullying behaviour, the impact it has and how to create an inclusive environment free of bullying.

It classes bullying behaviours as those that are repetitive, intentional and occur between individuals or groups where there is a power imbalance.
Further information can be found in the school’s Behaviour Plan which is available online via our website .

Scholastic Book Clubs provide interesting books at reasonable rates. There is no compulsion for children to buy these books – we act on behalf of Scholastics to distribute the pamphlets for the Lucky, Arrow and Teenage Books. There will be one issue per term.

Cell phones and Other Personal Digital Devices

 

As per the current legislative requirements, Rolleston School does not recommend that students bring personal digital devices to the school. These are not necessary to have during the day. However, we understand that some parents like their children to have a device to communicate with them after school.

We discuss the school rules about personal digital devices at the beginning of the year, and throughout the year as needed. Any changes to our school rules are communicated to students and our school community.

Parent/Caregiver and student responsibilities

If a parent/caregiver needs to contact their child urgently during the day, they should call the office.

If a student brings a personal digital device to our school, the following guidelines apply:

• The school does not accept responsibility for lost, damaged, or stolen personal digital devices brought to the school but investigates any issues as appropriate. Students must hand in their device to the office at the beginning of the day, and can collect the device at the end of the day.

Personal digital devices may not be taken on EOTC events.

 

Further information can be found via our policy and procedures.

 

The Te Ahi Kaikōmako Rolleston School Charter sets out the broad goals for education at our school. It includes our school motto, our vision, core values and a Strategic Plan which includes Pupil Achievement Targets. The Charter, which is deemed to include the National Education Learning Priorities, is available on request through the school office.

If children ride cycles to school they are legally required  to  wear safety helmets.

Children who travel west down Tennyson Street are encouraged to cross into the school using the pedestrian crossing the School Traffic Wardens operate, under teacher or parent supervision.

Children who travel down Rolleston Drive are encouraged to cross at the Traffic Light Crossing.

We agree with recommendations from the Police that children under 10 years should not cycle to school. 

The car park gate at the office entrance is for Staff, Visitors and Service vehicles only. It must not be used as a pedestrian walkway.

If you bring your child to school by car, please respect the traffic signs and students on Road Patrol and make it a safe area for other children to cross. Particular care is needed in ensuring that cars are not double parked and that U-turns and the use of neighbors’ drives for turning are avoided.

All schools must by law follow the New Zealand Curriculum as determined by the government. The Te Ahi Kaikōmako Rolleston Staff have developed Programmes of Work for our school based around the New Zealand Curriculum document.

Any matter relating to your child’s dental care should be referred directly to the Dental Therapists – Phone: 0800 846 983

Family Donations are not a compulsory payment, but do  provide much needed additional funds for the school to purchase additional resources to support student learning.

Requests for donations are sent out annually in February. They will appear on the bottom of your child’s account. All donations are receipted on request and are tax deductible. Our level of donation is currently set at: $90 for one child or $140 for a family. Families enrolling during a year are asked for a portion of the donation according to the date of enrolment.

All financial payments are made through the school office with our Bursar Mrs. Jimmi Anderson. Payments for any school activity or purchase are receipted on request. Any queries around payments should be made directly with Mrs Anderson.

Te Ahi Kaikōmako Rolleston School has an Enrolment Scheme in place. When, at the time of your child wishing to enrol, you will need to be living “in zone” to have an automatic right to attend. Please check this carefully with office staff before continuing with the enrolment process. All applications will be dealt with according to the guidelines of our Enrolment Scheme Policy, a copy of which is available on request through the school office along with a map of the school’s enrolment zone.

For New Entrants (5 year olds), Please call the school to start the enrolment process. After this you will be emailed a link to complete the online enrolment form. After this has been received and reviewed we will contact you with a time & date for meeting with our DP. This is a group meeting for new parents to Te Ahi Kaikōmako Rolleston school.

Prior to your child starting school you will receive correspondence informing you of three school visits which your child will need to attend. 

Te Ahi Kaikōmako Rolleston School runs a cohort entry enrolment process. Each term there are two cohort entry start dates that all enrolled students will begin. This is dependent on your child’s birthday. More information on Cohort Entry, including dates, can be viewed on our website.

On the first visit, parents and caregivers are welcome to stay for the whole time to support their child. 

On the second and third visit, we would appreciate it if you could leave your child for the duration of the visit, as this is a nice lead in for starting full school days. 

You will need to provide originals of your child’s birth certificate, immunisation certificate, evidence of living in zone (we cannot accept a rates demand), any relevant custody arrangements and any relevant visa and residency documents at your appointment. If parents are born outside of New Zealand, we will need proof of ID. (Passport/Birth Certificate).

If you are enrolling a student in Y 1-8 the above information applies except they will not be required to complete preschool visits.

Our school is committed to ensuring that all children, irrespective of gender and race, receive equal and fair consideration and opportunity.

Te Ahi Kaikōmako Rolleston School School Values

• Be Respectful
• Be Resilient
• Be Responsible
• Be Kind
• Be Connected

When you are part of Te Ahi Kaikōmako Rolleston School you have value. We all do, because others matter. So we respect their value just as they respect ours. That way we succeed together. Which is why we always stand together.

 

We ask all parents and caregivers to ensure that we have up to date information relating to phone numbers, home address, emergency contact persons, family doctor, health problems etc. You will receive an annual request to update information; however we appreciate being informed as soon as things change.

In addition we appreciate knowing of any changes in family circumstances which may impact upon your child.

Accurate family information is essential for the school to be able to work sensitively with families and changing circumstances. All information is treated with the utmost discretion and is kept strictly confidential.

Most school accidents are minor and can be remedied by a trained staff member. If the accident is more serious immediate first aid treatment will be given and parents contacted. Should the parents not be available the school will continue with the necessary steps “in loco parentis”

These would include: –

1. Transport (if practical) to the Rolleston Medical Centre
2. Staff will take the advice of the doctor.

Continuing efforts to contact parents, or their nominated emergency contact, will remain a priority while the above steps are being taken.

All incidents are recorded on the school’s Student Management System. When a head injury, even a minor one, has been sustained, we contact parents as a courtesy to tell you what has happened so you can check your child later in the day if needed, or take them to your family doctor.”

If your child requires medication during school hours, please ensure that you complete a “Medicine Authority Form” and hand it into the School Office along with medication. For safety reasons the medication will be held in the Administration area and supervised by the office staff.

When requested the school is visited by our Health Nurse. She is available to talk to parents about any health and family issues during her visits. You will be notified in the school newsletter when the Health Nurse is visiting. Alternatively you may ring for assistance at 325 6218.

General

There are four terms in the school year. The dates vary annually. Generally speaking the year will include:

Term 1 February – April

Term 2 April – June

Term 3 July – September

Term 4 October – December

A two week holiday is taken between each term during the year, with an extended break at Christmas-New Year of approximately five weeks.

Statutory Holidays

Waitangi Day – 6th February

Easter – 3 days: Good Friday, Easter Monday, and Tuesday – often included in the school holidays

Anzac Day – 25th April

King’s Birthday – first Monday in June

Matariki Day – Day varies

Labour Day – a Monday in October

Show Day – usually the second Friday in November

 

For this year’s term dates please go to

Term Dates & Calendar

Please check in with your child’s classroom teacher about Home Learning.

Te Ahi Kaikōmako Rolleston School is committed to providing Digital Curriculum education for all children as part of the NZ Curriculum.  There is a wide range of digital technology that our students can access for learning purposes. This resource is consistently updated.

Our school library is computerised and children have access to reference material through an opac. There is a room attached to the library for AV presentations. Teachers also use data projectors, cameras, video and recording devices on a regular basis as part of classroom programmes.

Our school library is a well stocked facility which offers children a wide variety of recreational and study material. All children have their own barcode and they are free to browse, read or borrow during lunchtimes.

Parents are asked to encourage the following routines:

• Have the book correctly issued before leaving the library
• Have a special place at home to keep library books safe
• Protect the books from food and drink, especially in school bags. Leaking drink bottles and yoghurt pottles are our worst enemies.
• Return books on time.

All unnamed, unclaimed clothing is kept in a box outside Room 7. Should your child have missing clothing please check there first. Named clothing rarely gets lost. We encourage parents to name their children’s clothing clearly as we are happy to return any found clothing which can be identified. Unclaimed clothing is donated to charity at the end of each term.

Typically children bring their own lunch to school. Children may order Subway lunches each Wednesday and Sushi is available Mondays. You can order these via the Kindo/Hero app.

 

The PTA will occasionally hold a sausage sizzle fundraiser at school. These are advertised in advance and orders taken through the Kindo/Hero app.

Music is offered in all classes as part of the normal classroom programme. Additional to this we offer a range of Itinerant Music Specialists who provide classes in, Singing, Drums and Guitar. 

The school runs a choir for interested children. The choir performs in the Christchurch Primary Schools’ Music Festival each year. We also look for opportunities to showcase the talent of these students wherever possible in our local community.

Students also have the opportunity to participate in Junior (Yr 1-4) or Senior (Yr 5-8) Kapa Haka.

A school newsletter is published every second Friday, this will be sent home via Hero/Facebook.

The newsletter contains general information about school happenings and events to come. On occasions, it provides information regarding school development plans and details of new curriculum statements, etc. children’s work is sometimes featured.

Other School Notices may be sent home at any time as required. These will also be sent out via the Hero.

Practical experiences in the outdoors are vital to growing children. As teachers we value the opportunity to help children meet and overcome new challenges which in turn help them to develop confidence and self-esteem. Therefore, as part of the school curriculum, we include outdoor activities for all students.

At the junior level this may include day trips in and around our local community. From Year 5 up a graded experience is provided, developing to an extended camp further afield for Years 6 to Year 8. The school has an EOTC policy and Risk Management Guidelines are followed by all staff when planning trips.

Parent help is always appreciated at school, whether it be on a school camp or day trip, or in the classroom assisting with a group of children, for example in our Garden 2 Table Programme. This is a strong feature of Te Ahi Kaikōmako Rolleston School. You must sign in at the office before going to your child’s room.

Teachers will usually call for regular parent help early in the year and establish some kind of timetable. Other requests will crop up during the year as needs arise. Assisting in an activity is a good way of seeing a little of what happens at school. Parents are not expected to teach groups, it is the extra pair of hands and eyes which assists the teacher.

School photographs are taken annually and are available for purchase. You are not obliged to buy them. One full set is always kept for school records.

The Board of Trustees is responsible for developing policies which provide the broad direction for our school. Policies are developed by Board members and Teaching Staff in consultation with the community as necessary. Copies of all policies are available for perusal at any time by parents and caregivers. Developing and reviewing policies is an on-going process throughout the year. Our policy and procedures can be viewed on our Schooldocs website. Login details can be found on our website.

This group of parents and Teachers makes a valuable contribution to the school through their organising of fundraising ventures, social get together and support for the school’s annual events. Regular meetings are held to plan the year’s activities and a close liaison is maintained with the Board of Trustees. The PTA encourages parents to donate their time to PTA activities during the year. A form is included in this pack for your consideration.

The staff are happy to discuss your child’s progress at any convenient time. It is helpful to staff if they can discuss your child when they are not busy setting up for the day. Therefore after school is a more convenient time for an informal chat.

Should you wish to discuss specific aspects of your child’s schooling it is best to make an appointment so that time can be set aside to do this effectively. This can be done with the class teacher or through the school office. Please make it clear what it is you want to discuss so staff can prepare for the meeting and make best of the time. Some afternoons may not be available due to afterschool meeting commitments

• The School year begins with “Making Connections” meeting between students, whānau and the new teacher.
• Reports are sent home at mid and end of year via the HERO Portal.
  • These reports cover:
    • Student Learning Goals
    • Progress and Achievement in Reading, Writing & Maths
    • Written comments by the teacher
    • Student Work Samples

School Gates Open 8.30 am

Classes Commence 8.55 am

Morning Break  11.00 – 11.30 am

Lunch  1.00 – 1.45 pm

School Day ends 3.00 pm

All children should leave the school grounds by 3.10 pm when the final bell is rung to clear the school grounds. 

Our school is fortunate to have a Special Needs & Learning Support Co-ordinator who oversees the work of our Teacher Aides and arranges support programmes for students with special needs. They are available to discuss concerns about children’s learning and will work in combination with parents and the class teachers to achieve positive outcomes for students.

As part of our Physical Education programme we aim to provide children with a wide range of sports options. 

Children are encouraged to participate in many different activities including: Netball, Hockey, Rugby, Volleyball, Tennis, Touch Rugby, Cricket, Softball, Soccer, Basketball etc.

Year’s 5-8 pupils participate in a regular physical education lessons. The focus of these times is skill based teaching. 

In addition, pupils compete against local schools on an informal basis. They also participate in the local and central zone sports in swimming, athletics, Winter Tournaments and Cross Country and Friday Winter Sport in Selwyn.

We are able to enlist the assistance of the following services where it is necessary and in the best interests of children. Parents are always consulted before this occurs and must give their permission.          

• Public Health Nurse
• Community Constable              
• Psychologist
• Hearing and Vision Tester      
• Speech/Language Therapist  
• Resource Teacher Learning & Behaviour
• Truancy Officer
• Resource Teacher Literacy      

It is most helpful if requests for such services are arranged through the school SENCO and not directly with the provider. In this way, the school can assist with applications and perhaps speed the process up.

Should there be any need for you to remove your child from school during the school day please ensure (particularly if it’s during a break) that the child’s teacher or one other staff member is informed and that they are signed out at the office. This is particularly important as it could mean that nobody has seen the child depart and it may take some time to establish his or her whereabouts.

Should a member of the family, or someone unknown to us, be required to collect the child, it is very important that they identify themselves to a staff member before they collect the child. This will avoid possible embarrassment. The school has some very clear legal obligations here.If there are restrictions on access to your children by particular persons then we must have access to a copy of this information which we will hold securely on site.

Te Ahi Kaikōmako Rolleston School has a school uniform as a means of providing a sense of identity and to try and maintain a high standard of personal presentation. Children must wear the correct uniform. A blue School Sunhat is compulsory for Terms 1 and 4, as part of our sun smart procedures.

Rolleston School uniform is able to be purchased online at Mainland Uniforms or alternatively at their store 511 Wairakei Road, Burnside.  Please refer to the Rolleston School website (uniform tab) for further information.Jewellery is not permitted at school. Only ear studs are permitted. Items of cultural significance must be discussed with the Principal and may be allowed to be worn.

Makeup is not to be worn to school.

Valuable personal property should not be brought to school. We will not accept any responsibility if valuables are lost or broken.

All visitors to school must sign in at the office. In this way we know who is on site in case of an emergency. Should a Fire Drill sound during your time on site, please assemble in your safety area as noted on the plan displayed in classrooms.